High paying entry level jobs in State College, PA

These occupations in State College, PA ask for no prior experience in a related job and no on-the-job training period: you are expected to be productive on arrival. That is precisely why most of them want a specific qualification instead — the credential does the work the experience would have. Read the line under each title for what that qualification is; several here are doctorates. If you need something you can start without one, use the no-experience list.

Cost of living: prices in State College, PA run 3.2% below the national average (2024), so a State College, PA salary is worth about 1.03× its face value in national terms. That scales every wage here by the same factor — it changes what the numbers mean, not their order.

Local wage estimates are suppressed more often than state ones — BLS withholds any figure too few local employers report — so an occupation missing here simply has no published local estimate.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Cost of living: BEA regional price parities, 2024

Find high paying jobs in State College, PA

OccupationMedian, State College, PA · Employed

1Dentists, General$168,340
Doctoral or professional degree
$104,130 – $338,06060
2Pharmacists$135,010
Doctoral or professional degree
$107,370 – $166,090110
3Veterinarians$131,500
Doctoral or professional degree
$75,470 – $258,32060
4Physician Assistants$128,480
Master's degree
$100,210 – $153,17080
5Nurse Practitioners$124,470
Master's degree
$98,840 – $151,000110
6Chemists$107,890
Bachelor's degree
$68,730 – $142,04050
7Lawyers$107,850
Doctoral or professional degree
$73,920 – $218,280140
8Software Developers$103,620
Bachelor's degree
$73,970 – $160,720450
9Physical Therapists$98,970
Doctoral or professional degree
$78,200 – $130,280130
10Computer Occupations, All Other$97,920
Bachelor's degree
$58,120 – $149,880100
11Electrical Engineers$97,450
Bachelor's degree
$66,490 – $158,32090
12Civil Engineers$96,110
Bachelor's degree
$64,020 – $133,270160
13Occupational Therapists$94,940
Master's degree
$77,790 – $126,76050
14Statisticians$93,830
Master's degree
$64,520 – $200,34030
15Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers$93,680
Bachelor's degree
$55,960 – $129,30060
16Web Developers$91,300
Bachelor's degree
$72,450 – $119,34040
17Biological Scientists, All Other$91,170
Bachelor's degree
$73,920 – $115,21030
18Mechanical Engineers$90,530
Bachelor's degree
$65,110 – $125,920110
19Industrial Engineers$88,690
Bachelor's degree
$62,630 – $127,110100
20Computer Programmers$87,610
Bachelor's degree
$46,400 – $100,74040
21Computer Systems Analysts$84,330
Bachelor's degree
$64,670 – $110,050130
22Massage Therapists$82,490
Postsecondary nondegree award
$27,750 – $129,42040
23Data Scientists$81,840
Bachelor's degree
$59,470 – $128,59090
24Project Management Specialists$81,820
Bachelor's degree
$50,880 – $130,930470
25Registered Nurses$81,480
Bachelor's degree
$66,810 – $100,3801,310
26Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$79,540
Bachelor's degree
$66,780 – $110,39050
27Dental Hygienists$78,530
Associate's degree
$65,870 – $93,470130
28Network and Computer Systems Administrators$78,520
Bachelor's degree
$62,980 – $107,960130
29Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$78,280
Bachelor's degree
$52,790 – $96,600220
30Budget Analysts$78,060
Bachelor's degree
$63,720 – $92,03040
31Web and Digital Interface Designers$78,040
Bachelor's degree
$56,460 – $135,62040
32Librarians and Media Collections Specialists$77,560
Master's degree
$49,660 – $99,340180
33Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,760
Bachelor's degree
$58,200 – $98,700540
34Financial and Investment Analysts$76,690
Bachelor's degree
$61,610 – $130,42040
35Respiratory Therapists$73,690
Associate's degree
$61,400 – $79,09060
36Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$73,250
Bachelor's degree
$51,050 – $100,610510
37Accountants and Auditors$73,040
Bachelor's degree
$49,820 – $103,650460
38Business Operations Specialists, All Other$70,560
Bachelor's degree
$47,780 – $109,550140
39Human Resources Specialists$64,220
Bachelor's degree
$45,100 – $100,210260
40Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other$64,210
Associate's degree
$47,940 – $100,170180
41Architectural and Civil Drafters$63,850
Associate's degree
$46,440 – $90,63090
42Public Relations Specialists$63,580
Bachelor's degree
$45,130 – $82,440160
43Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$63,450
Associate's degree
$50,500 – $78,32060
44Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary School$62,730
Bachelor's degree
$50,210 – $94,96070
45Biological Technicians$62,000
Bachelor's degree
$51,020 – $80,530130
46Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses$61,960
Postsecondary nondegree award
$49,860 – $69,530440
47Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners$61,250
Bachelor's degree
$42,870 – $77,41080
48Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists$61,050
Bachelor's degree
$28,470 – $110,860280
49Civil Engineering Technologists and Technicians$59,430
Associate's degree
$45,450 – $80,55040
50Physical Therapist Assistants$58,780
Associate's degree
$47,050 – $74,37050

Bars run from the 10th to the 90th percentile; the middle half is shaded darker, and the tick is the median.

#	Occupation	MedianState College, PA	10th–90th percentilemiddle half shaded darker	Employed
1	Dentists, GeneralDoctoral or professional degree	$168,340	$104,130 – $338,060	60
2	PharmacistsDoctoral or professional degree	$135,010	$107,370 – $166,090	110
3	VeterinariansDoctoral or professional degree	$131,500	$75,470 – $258,320	60
4	Physician AssistantsMaster's degree	$128,480	$100,210 – $153,170	80
5	Nurse PractitionersMaster's degree	$124,470	$98,840 – $151,000	110
6	ChemistsBachelor's degree	$107,890	$68,730 – $142,040	50
7	LawyersDoctoral or professional degree	$107,850	$73,920 – $218,280	140
8	Software DevelopersBachelor's degree	$103,620	$73,970 – $160,720	450
9	Physical TherapistsDoctoral or professional degree	$98,970	$78,200 – $130,280	130
10	Computer Occupations, All OtherBachelor's degree	$97,920	$58,120 – $149,880	100
11	Electrical EngineersBachelor's degree	$97,450	$66,490 – $158,320	90
12	Civil EngineersBachelor's degree	$96,110	$64,020 – $133,270	160
13	Occupational TherapistsMaster's degree	$94,940	$77,790 – $126,760	50
14	StatisticiansMaster's degree	$93,830	$64,520 – $200,340	30
15	Software Quality Assurance Analysts and TestersBachelor's degree	$93,680	$55,960 – $129,300	60
16	Web DevelopersBachelor's degree	$91,300	$72,450 – $119,340	40
17	Biological Scientists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$91,170	$73,920 – $115,210	30
18	Mechanical EngineersBachelor's degree	$90,530	$65,110 – $125,920	110
19	Industrial EngineersBachelor's degree	$88,690	$62,630 – $127,110	100
20	Computer ProgrammersBachelor's degree	$87,610	$46,400 – $100,740	40
21	Computer Systems AnalystsBachelor's degree	$84,330	$64,670 – $110,050	130
22	Massage TherapistsPostsecondary nondegree award	$82,490	$27,750 – $129,420	40
23	Data ScientistsBachelor's degree	$81,840	$59,470 – $128,590	90
24	Project Management SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$81,820	$50,880 – $130,930	470
25	Registered NursesBachelor's degree	$81,480	$66,810 – $100,380	1,310
26	Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$79,540	$66,780 – $110,390	50
27	Dental HygienistsAssociate's degree	$78,530	$65,870 – $93,470	130
28	Network and Computer Systems AdministratorsBachelor's degree	$78,520	$62,980 – $107,960	130
29	Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$78,280	$52,790 – $96,600	220
30	Budget AnalystsBachelor's degree	$78,060	$63,720 – $92,030	40
31	Web and Digital Interface DesignersBachelor's degree	$78,040	$56,460 – $135,620	40
32	Librarians and Media Collections SpecialistsMaster's degree	$77,560	$49,660 – $99,340	180
33	Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationBachelor's degree	$76,760	$58,200 – $98,700	540
34	Financial and Investment AnalystsBachelor's degree	$76,690	$61,610 – $130,420	40
35	Respiratory TherapistsAssociate's degree	$73,690	$61,400 – $79,090	60
36	Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationBachelor's degree	$73,250	$51,050 – $100,610	510
37	Accountants and AuditorsBachelor's degree	$73,040	$49,820 – $103,650	460
38	Business Operations Specialists, All OtherBachelor's degree	$70,560	$47,780 – $109,550	140
39	Human Resources SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$64,220	$45,100 – $100,210	260
40	Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All OtherAssociate's degree	$64,210	$47,940 – $100,170	180
41	Architectural and Civil DraftersAssociate's degree	$63,850	$46,440 – $90,630	90
42	Public Relations SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$63,580	$45,130 – $82,440	160
43	Radiologic Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$63,450	$50,500 – $78,320	60
44	Special Education Teachers, Kindergarten and Elementary SchoolBachelor's degree	$62,730	$50,210 – $94,960	70
45	Biological TechniciansBachelor's degree	$62,000	$51,020 – $80,530	130
46	Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesPostsecondary nondegree award	$61,960	$49,860 – $69,530	440
47	Meeting, Convention, and Event PlannersBachelor's degree	$61,250	$42,870 – $77,410	80
48	Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsBachelor's degree	$61,050	$28,470 – $110,860	280
49	Civil Engineering Technologists and TechniciansAssociate's degree	$59,430	$45,450 – $80,550	40
50	Physical Therapist AssistantsAssociate's degree	$58,780	$47,050 – $74,370	50

Ranked among the occupations common enough to employ roughly one in every three thousand workers in State College, PA. The rarer ones are real jobs — but a 1,190-person occupation at the top of a list answers a different question than the one most readers are asking.

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The same fields, narrowed to what you can enter without one. Fields missing here have too few such occupations in State College, PA to rank honestly.

High paying entry level jobs in State College, PA

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